• #161 12 hard lessons I learned from speaking in 2023
    Jan 21 2024

    David is not just a presentation skills coach, he is out there banging out talks in front of audiences every week.

    In this episode, he outlines 12 different lessons he learned from 12 different events, one from each month.

    As a leader who wants to be the best version of themselves every time they present, you can apply every lesson he has .

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    40 mins
  • #160 Is AI going to make presentation skills obsolete?
    Oct 17 2023

    David recently watched a fantastic interview with the creator of DeepTomCruise, a TikTok channel. He thought it would be a frivolous (ish) conversation about creating fun videos.

    But it was way different than that. The creator of the videos was thoughtful, smart, business savvy and had a very deep insight into the future of AI, deep fake videos and what it means for all of us.

    What David heard and saw was incredibly exciting and at the same time, disturbing and unsettling.

    In this episode, he gives the relevant highlights of the interview, what AI means for speaking and whether it will be the nail in the coffin for real, live face to face presenting.

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    15 mins
  • #159 Death to Powerpoint (as we know it)
    Apr 3 2023

    'Death By Powerpoint' has been a well worn phrase that shows just how horrifically bad most presenters use this application.

    But in this episode, David explains how Powerpoint - and more specifically what we put on the screen - can absolutely transform ANY presentation.

    He shares the following:

    • The single greatest Powerpoint RULE that 90% of presenters break
    • Why images are massively more powerful than words (and it's not because they are pretty)
    • His transformational experience with explaining to audiences his Guinness record reciting Pi to 22,500 digits
    • What you should do if Powerpoint goes down
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    16 mins
  • #158 How to be the host with the most
    Mar 27 2023

    Being the MC of a conference is a job that can make or break a fantastic event.

    David was recently asked to coach a client to perform this role who had volunteered to do it but had never done it before.

    In this episode, he shares the following:

    • Pros and cons of using someone internal
    • Best practice of introducing upcoming presenters
    • The pitfalls to look out for
    • Managing the minefield of Q&A with your superiors
    • Why humour is the ONLY currency
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    20 mins
  • #157 You are nowhere as special as you think you are
    Feb 14 2023

    All David's presentation skills coaching clients tell him the same thing. That 'their' speaking/clients/products/service is unique and different to everyone else's.

    But in reality, the basic principles behind great presenting are the same whether it is speaking at a Board meeting of a billion dollar company or being the compere of a Masked Dancer event at a conference, both things that David has prepared clients for in just the last two weeks.

    In this episode, David shares how to get the basics nailed down so you can be a presentation rockstar, whatever the audience and whatever the talk.

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    17 mins
  • #156 Sometimes it just comes down to cold, hard cash
    Jan 23 2023

    David's tagline is Making Leaders Presentation Rockstars and when presenting, it is brilliant to feel that way. The audience laughing at your jokes and clapping you off stage.

    But sometimes the reason behind improving presentation skills is more prosaic than that.

    In this episode, David talks about an inspirational entrepreneur who specifically asked him to turn her into a presentation rockstar while actually needing the improvement in her skills for nothing more complicated than being able to get the highest price for her business when she sells.

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    11 mins
  • #155 Putting the fun into funeral
    Jan 16 2023

    As a leadership presentation skills coach, David is always approached to help leaders improve their speaking in the business world first.

    But in this episode, David explains how it is even more important to get speaking at personal events nailed down too. Because those types of events tend to be one offs. You only get one chance to speak at someone's funeral.

    He also looks at how the usual presentation rules apply, even putting fun into the eulogy. 

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    20 mins
  • #154 9 presentation skills lessons learned from 2022
    Jan 9 2023

    Even as an experienced 25 year speaker, David understands one thing - speaking is a live event.

    Every presentation and speech he gives has the ability to teach him something because every one is unique.

    In this episode, he explains why he believes continuous improvement is the key to being a presentation rockstar...

    ...and the 9 lessons he learned in 2022 that will help make him an even better presenter in 2023.

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    23 mins